Three exercises for treating shoulder and upper arm pain

Shoulder and Upper Arm Pain

The shoulder and upper arm muscles help people perform many normal daily activities. For instance, your biceps help lift your arm to sip your coffee, and your triceps help lower your cup back to the table. 

Unfortunately, it’s likely that you’ll experience shoulder and upper arm pain at some point in your life, and medical research shows that up to 26% of people have shoulder pain at any given time. In turn, this can make doing everyday tasks much more difficult. By seeking help from a physical therapist, you can successfully address your shoulder and upper arm pain. One way these specialists can help you is by showing you how to do therapeutic exercises such as: 

  1. Shoulder rolls

Purpose: This exercise is intended to help stretch your shoulder muscles, which can help decrease your shoulder and upper arm pain.

How to do shoulder rolls:

  • Sit at the front of a stable chair with your back upright and your head centered over your shoulders. 
  • Slowly roll your shoulders forward in a circle until you’ve returned to the starting position. 
  • Repeat this step until you’ve done five to 10 forward rolls. 
  • Then, slowly roll your shoulders backward for another five to 10 reps. 
  • Repeat this exercise as necessary. 
  1. Triceps stretch

Purpose: The triceps stretch is intended to decrease shoulder and upper arm pain by reducing tension in the triceps muscles. 

How to do the triceps stretch:

  • Sit on the edge of a stable chair with upright posture. 
  • Lift your right arm so that it’s extending straight up over your head. 
  • Bend your elbow so that your forearm is behind you. 
  • Place your left hand on your right elbow and gently pull your elbow backward until you feel a stretch in the back of your upper arm.
  • Hold this stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. 
  • Relax for a few seconds; then do the stretch on your left arm. 
  • Repeat the stretch until you’ve stretched each tricep for 45 to 60 seconds. 
  1. Standing biceps stretch

Purpose: This therapeutic exercise is intended to stretch the chest, biceps and shoulders; it can help decrease shoulder and upper arm pain. 

How to do the standing biceps stretch:

  • Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. 
  • Place both hands at the base of your spine with palms facing backward and fingers interlaced. 
  • Straighten your arms and lift them up as high as you can. 
  • Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds. 
  • Take a brief break.
  • Repeat the stretch until you’ve done it for 45 to 60 seconds in total. 

Find top-notch treatment for your shoulder and upper arm pain at SSOR

Fed up with feeling shoulder and upper arm pain? At SSOR, our physiotherapy team can help you find effective treatment for the pain you’re living with. A free screening by our therapists can pinpoint the cause of your pain, and then we can create a customized physical therapy plan designed to reduce it. 

Can’t make it into one of our therapy clinics? No worries! Our team offers at-home care and virtual therapy services that allow you to get help right in your own home. 

Contact us today for more information about all the treatment options we offer for your pain or to schedule your initial appointment.